Kejin Biotech Secures Nearly RMB 100 Million in Angel Funding to Advance Rare Disease Cell Therapy Pipeline

VCBeat (WeChat: vcbeat) learned at the earliest opportunity that,Wuxi Kejin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Kejin Biotech”) recently announced the completion of its angel financing round, raising nearly RMB 100 million., this round of financing was led byLed by Med-Fine Capital, Heailthcare CapitalandWuxi Jincheng Yingyue Angel FundCo-investment. The company has also received strong support from the Administrative Committee of Xidong New City Business District, Xishan District, Wuxi City, in the form of subsidies for production base construction and high-end talent incentives. This round of financing will be primarily used to advance the company’s first rare disease product pipeline—Two IND Filings for Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency in China and Europe

Wuxi Kejin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. was established in January 2022, with its headquarters located in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, and branch offices in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Spain, and the United States. The company isAn Innovative Company Focused on Treating Rare Diseases with Gene Editing and Cell Therapies, as Well as the R&D and Manufacturing of Novel Anti-Cancer DrugsThe company owns an independently developed, Nobel Prize-caliber precision therapy gene-editing technology platform, CRISPR 2.0. Combined with a novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery system, this platform achieves a gene-editing efficiency of up to 70%, enabling precise and efficient insertion and integration of small fragments or even entire genes into the genome. By employing ex vivo cell editing strategies, it ingeniously circumvents the risks of CRISPR off-target effects, as well as the various immune and oncogenic risks associated with in vivo AAV administration. This technology represents a major breakthrough in the field of CRISPR gene editing. The company has mastered CMC processes that meet industrial standards, and several projects are currently advancing steadily in both China and Europe.

The company was co-founded by a closely-knit group of experts in cell and gene therapy, virologists, oncologists, hematologists, and seasoned professionals from the biopharmaceutical industry. The core management team members all come from global Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies, with over 30 years of deep expertise in the field of cell and gene therapy, and extensive experience in CMC, clinical development, and regulatory compliance. The core technical team hails from world-class research institutions, such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Spain’s CIEMAT (Center for Research in Energy, Technology and Environment), the Spanish Network Research Center for Rare Diseases, and the Jiménez Díaz Health Research Institute.

Dr. Wang Haifeng, the Company’s Founder and CEO, previously oversaw market development in the Asia-Pacific region at WuXi AppTec. He led the manufacturing development, global regulatory filings, and clinical trial execution for multiple cell and gene therapy projects across South Korea, Japan, and numerous other countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific. Professor Jose Carlos Segovia, the Company’s Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, is affiliated with Spain’s Royal CIEMAT. As a representative of academic exchanges between Spain, the European Union, and the global scientific community, he also serves as a senior advisor on advanced therapies to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), embodying Europe’s highest technical standards in this field. Holding multiple technology patents and having successfully filed five orphan drug applications, Professor Segovia brings extensive experience in technology transfer. The Company has also appointed Professor Matthew Porteus of Stanford University, the inventor of CRISPR 2.0 technology, as its Scientific Advisor to guide its strategic direction.

The company boasts a robust pipeline and employs a global simultaneous development strategy, with products spanning all stages from preclinical to Phase I clinical trials. Currently, the company is dedicated to the research and development of novel cell therapies for rare hematological disorders, such as pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD). The PKD pipeline is expected to complete Investigational New Drug (IND) applications in China and Europe by mid-2023.

Leveraging its advanced technological reserves and extensive international collaborations, the company aims to establish Kejin Bio as a global enterprise rooted in China, thereby benefiting patients both in China and worldwide.

Dr. Wang Haifeng, Founder and CEO of Kejin BiotechHe stated, “Our decision to launch this startup was driven by a friend’s child who suffers from pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD), a rare disease. After enduring several arduous years in the global search for effective treatments, Professor Segovia’s CRISPR 2.0 technology offered us a ray of hope. At our sincere invitation, Professor Segovia decided to join us as a co-founder. Fueled by our passion, we have also inspired a group of outstanding partners worldwide to join our mission, collectively advancing the global clinical development of PKD therapies. Our proprietary CRISPR 2.0 technology platform boasts exceptional editing efficiency and safety, along with broad applicability. Currently, we have seven rare-disease pipelines in preclinical and Phase I clinical stages. We are deeply grateful for the recognition and support from our investors. It is our hope that our technology will soon bring curative solutions to more patients with rare diseases.”

Dr. Li Shanbing, Partner at Med-Fine Capital“It has been stated that in recent years, cell and gene therapies for rare diseases as well as common conditions such as cancers and neurological disorders have made significant progress. Many therapeutic agents for rare diseases have successively reached the market or entered late-stage clinical development, providing a lifeline to patients who previously had no treatment options. The inclusion of some of these drugs in national medical insurance schemes has further greatly improved patient access to medications. As an innovative company focused on the development of gene editing and cell and gene therapy technologies, Kejine Bio is dedicated to the research, development, and production of novel therapeutics for rare diseases and cancer, positioning it for substantial growth potential. Kejine Bio has assembled a highly experienced multinational R&D and operations team in the field of cell and gene therapy, established a robust development pipeline, and achieved synchronized global development and operational capabilities. Med-Fine Capital has confidence in Kejine Bio’s R&D capabilities and is very optimistic about the market prospects in this sector. We believe that, leveraging the company’s efficient R&D and operational capabilities, the project will be able to complete Investigational New Drug (IND) filings in China and Europe within a relatively short timeframe, emerging as an industry leader and delivering more accessible treatments to a broader patient population.”

Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKD) is a rare hereditary anemic disorder primarily caused by mutations in the PK gene, which accelerate red blood cell destruction. The disease presents with anemia ranging from mild to life-threatening severity. Pyruvate kinase deficiency can lead to severe complications, including gallstones, pulmonary hypertension, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and osteoporosis, thereby affecting multiple organs. These complications may occur regardless of the severity of anemia or the burden of transfusions. Furthermore, PKD reduces quality of life, posing challenges in work, study, daily living, and emotional well-being. Currently, there is no curative treatment for this condition; management mainly involves blood transfusions, splenectomy, stem cell transplantation, and pharmacological therapy. There is an urgent need for more effective therapeutic options.

Med-Fine Capital specializes in early-stage investments in the life sciences sector, operating as an investment platform that integrates “decentralized investment” with “systematic operations.” With assets under management totaling RMB 2 billion, the firm is headquartered in Shanghai and maintains concurrent operations in Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Suzhou, and Hangzhou. Its investment team comprises veterans of the healthcare industry, medical doctors from top-tier universities, former physicians from leading tertiary hospitals, and professional pharmaceutical investors, bringing extensive healthcare ecosystem resources, deep professional expertise, and valuable frontline clinical and investment experience. Med-Fine Capital focuses on biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical diagnostics, digital health, and related services. Since 2016, it has completed investments in more than 50 portfolio companies, including Hanyu Medical (heart valves), TianGuangShi Biologics (antibody drugs), ImmunoOnco Therapeutics (oncolytic viruses), LinkCare Pharmaceuticals (new drug R&D), Zhenrong Pharma (new drug R&D), Anrui Biologics (new drug R&D), Yehui Pharma (clinical-stage new drug development), Libang Pharmaceutical (focused on novel drugs for kidney diseases), HeartX Medical (artificial hearts), and Heduo Biosciences (microbiome-based innovative drugs).

Jinpu Health Fund was established in April 2015. As a specialized equity investment fund under Jinpu Investment focusing on the healthcare sector, it manages assets exceeding RMB 2 billion. The fund’s investment portfolio spans biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics (IVD), and healthcare services.

Jinpu Health Fund is committed to becoming a discoverer and creator of value. The fund’s partners possess over fifteen years of experience in equity investment or the healthcare sector, while team members hold master’s and doctoral degrees from renowned universities both in China and abroad. Their professional backgrounds span molecular biology, pharmacy, clinical medicine, biomedical engineering, finance, law, and other disciplines. The two consecutive funds managed by the team have secured investments from the National Council for Social Security Fund (NCSSF) and the China Development Bank. Notably, this team was the first to receive investment from the NCSSF, pioneering pension fund investments in private equity funds in China.

Wuxi Jincheng Yingyue Venture Capital Management Partnership (Limited Partnership) is an angel investment fund established through a collaboration between the Wuxi Xidong New City Business District and Wuxi Financial Investment Group. Registered in the Wuxi Xidong New City Business District in June 2020, the fund has a total subscribed capital of RMB 50.1 million. The fund manager is Wuxi JinTou Capital Private Equity Fund Management Co., Ltd., and its primary investment focus includes emerging industries such as integrated circuits, mass consumer goods, and life sciences.